Shared services

Today, the Efficiency Exchange team is at Inside Government's Improving higher education efficiency through shared services event in Manchester, so what better time to share some of our resources on shared services.

A HEFCE-funded study into establishing a cost sharing group (CSG) to deliver VAT-exempt IT services to Portsmouth schools has been published. The study by the University of Portsmouth and Portsmouth City Council investigates ways of sharing resources and the demand for a not-for-profit CSG.

In April 2014 HEFCE gave an award to the University of Portsmouth to explore the feasibility of setting up a cost sharing group to deliver IT services to education providers across Portsmouth, in collaboration with Portsmouth City Council. This report, published in February 2016, sets out options for sharing resources with potential participants.

A web-based tool that allows higher education institutions to explore the quantitative and qualitative costs and benefits of sharing services is now live. Project manager Simon Perks tells us more about how HERBi can help you.

The Wales Higher Education Libraries Forum (WHELF) is a partnership to deliver a library management system across Welsh university libraries, thought to be the first of its kind in the UK. Programme Manager Gareth Owen explains how the THELMA award-winning project will bring benefits to its members.

Following yesterday's article looking at the future role of shared services in higher education, Andrew Rothwell and Ian Herbert of Loughborough Universities’ Centre for Global Sourcing and Services highlight how digital relationships and offshoring will transform universities - and possibly secure their survival.

Following their presentation last week to the Embracing Efficiencies and Shared Services in Higher Education event, Andrew Rothwell and Ian Herbert of Loughborough University's Centre for Global Sourcing and Services outline their prediction for a range of new public-private partnerships with shared services centres taking a key role.

The HEFCE-funded ‘HERBi’ project, which will help institutions to understand the potential costs and savings of shared services arrangements, is almost ready for launch. And project manager Simon Perks is looking for volunteers to test the interactive tool before it goes live

As universities increasingly need to consider their bottom lines, University of London's Chris Cobb urges them not to lose sight of the common good when it comes to commissioning services. Read his post on the AHUA blog.

Events

This conference will explore how universities are using their global networks and partners to achieve more far-reaching knowledge exchange impacts and create new international business partnerships in other regions of the world.

This year’s event will tackle the challenges and opportunities that come with increased competition and choice in the sector off the back of momentous higher education reforms. Delegates will gain an exclusive introduction to the Office for Students, learn how to establish their institution as an international brand, debate the drive for digital in the sector and identify ways to enhance the student experience.

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